Fort Lauderdale fire rescue, code compliance and Port Everglades officials outline marine response gaps and safety work

Fort Lauderdale fire-rescue and city code officials told the Marine Advisory Board on Feb. 6 that the city’s marine response handles dozens of incidents each month but remains limited by staffing and the way vessels are deployed.

The board heard that the city’s watercraft and dive teams respond to about 30 to 40 calls per month, a mix of medical evacuations, vessel fires and capsizes, and that several recent large incidents — including a pair of vapor explosions and a yacht fire at Pier 66 — illustrated both the team’s capability and gaps in coverage.

The details: Sergeant Travis O’Neil, who oversees some waterway enforcement, reported recent statistics including multiple vessel crashes with no significant injuries and about 31 citations from recent patrols. Manny Garcia, senior compliance officer for the City of Fort Lauderdale, said compliance officers performed 63 waterway inspections since November and described one enforcement case that resulted in a $2,500 fine for sanding and grinding that discharged material into the water; he said fines for similar violations can rise to $15,000 if the activity recurs.

Deputy Chief Bill Tessini of Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue described the department’s marine operations and staffing model. “Our hope is to grow the marine team even beyond its current services and be a part of that support community,” Tessini said, explaining the department currently uses an adaptive staffing model in which some personnel shift from land units to watercraft as incidents require. Tessini and Captain Chad Roberts said that when the boat crew launches, land units are taken out of service and coverage must be shuttled elsewhere — a key reason the department favors moving to a fuller-time watercraft staffing model.

Tessini reviewed several recent calls: a December 5 vapor explosion, multiple capsizings and a Jan. 12 Pier 66 yacht fire that crews contained before it became a total loss. He described the team’s training and equipment (including rapid-deploy dive gear) and noted the department frequently works alongside Broward Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish & Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard during larger incidents.

Glenn Wiltshire of Port Everglades gave an overview of port operations and highlighted the scale of cargo, cruise and petroleum traffic that passes through Port Everglades daily. Wiltshire said port activity creates a layered public-safety response that includes tugboats, harbor master operations and regular coordination with police and fire assets. He also noted ongoing projects — including channel deepening, shore power and a bypass road — that connect to broader marine-safety planning.

Why it matters: Board members said the presentations underscored the city’s “low-frequency, high-consequence” exposure on waterways and the need for a more consistent on-water presence. The board and the department discussed short-term fixes such as making the fire station available for a tour and longer-term goals including partial or full-time staffing for the fire boat.

Board members and staff said they plan to follow the department’s staffing progress and encouraged the public to use safe-boating classes and heed harbor-safety guidance distributed by Port Everglades.

Ending: The board invited Fire-Rescue and Port Everglades back for follow-up reports and recommended a station visit so members can see vessels and equipment firsthand. The city will continue to pursue both compliance enforcement on the water and internal staffing changes to improve on-water response.